Pan Stanislav understood this at once, as well as the advantage over "the bear" which was given him by his silence; wishing to use it in the interest of Mashko, he was silent for a time, but could not forego the pleasure of punishing Gantovski in another way. He occupied himself the whole evening with Marynia, as he had not done since Litka's death. This filled Marynia with evident delight. Leaving Gantovski to her father, she walked with Pan Stanislav through the room and talked confidentially; then they sat under the palm, where Pan Stanislav had seen Pani Emilia after the funeral, and talked about her approaching admission to the order of Sisters of Charity. To Gantovski it seemed at times that only people who were betrothed could speak in that way; and he felt then what must be felt by a soul not in purgatory, for in purgatory a soul has hope yet before it, but what is felt by a soul when entering the gate with the inscription "_Lasciate ogni speranza_" (Leave every hope). Seeing them together in this way, he thought, too, that perhaps Polanyetski had bought the oak with the land so as to obtain for Marynia even a part of Kremen, and therefore with her will and knowledge. And this being the case, the hair rose on his head at the mere thought of how he had blundered in raising a scandal with Mashko. Plavitski, on his part, hearing his half conscious, but altogether inappropriate answers, amused himself still more at the expense of the "rustic," who on the city pavement had lost what remained of his wit. Plavitski considered himself now as the model of a man of the "capital." The moment came, however, when the young men were left alone, for Marynia was occupied with tea in the next room, and Plavitski had gone for cigars to his study; Pan Stanislav turned then to Gantovski,-- "Let us go together after tea," said he; "I wish to speak with you touching your collision with Pan Mashko." "Of course," answered Gantovski, gloomily, understanding that Polanyetski was Mashko's second. Meanwhile they had to remain for tea, and sit long enough after that, for Plavitski did not like to go to bed early, and summoned Gantovski to a game of chess. During the play, Marynia and Pan Stanislav sat apart and conversed with animation, to the heartfelt torment of "the bear." "The arrival of Gantovski must be pleasing to you," said Pan Stanislav, all at once, "for it brings Kremen to your mind." Astonishment flashed over Marynia's face that he was the first to mention Kremen. She had supposed that, in virtue of a tacit agreement, he would cover that question with silence. "I think no more now of Kremen," answered she, after a pause. This statement was not true, for in her heart's depth she was sorry for the place in which she had been reared,--the place of her labor for years, and of her shattered hopes; but she thought herself forced to speak thus by duty, and by the feeling for Pan Stanislav, which was increasing continually.